By Esther Kwon
Among the long list of things my parents told me to be afraid of when I was a child, lead-based paint was never one of them. Perhaps the reason why I was able to grow up without worrying about what was coating the swing set I played on and what kind of paint [...]

During the three giant caldera-forming eruptions that occurred between 2.1 million and 640,000 years ago, tiny particles of volcanic debris ( volcanic ash ) covered much of the western half of North America, likely a third of a meter deep several hundred kilometers from Yellowstone and several…

By Bill FinanIn the mid-1980s, I was surprised to hear stories about firefighters being injured and sometimes killed when they entered a fire scene that included chemicals. Those firefighters were brave and wanted to save lives, but they had not been trained to understand chemical hazards.Just as…

By Lou Witt, Indoor Environments Division and Kathy Seikel, Office of Children’s Health ProtectionWith an emphasis on healthy schools, this year’s Children’s Health Month brings back memories of life as a student. When we were children, not many people focused on indoor air quality in schools.…

Each week we write about the science behind environmental protection. Previous Science Wednesdays.By Tanya OtteLots of people like running. I’m not one of them…unless it involves running models! Since I was hired, I’ve been a part of a team that develops and runs models to help understand…

By Doug AndersonIt’s October and here comes the cold weather and the high winter energy bills. I am in the middle of raking leaves and cleaning the gutters at my house and wanted to remind my fellow homeowners about other important projects to do in the fall to help keep your home comfortable and…

By Brittney GordonAs you may have already heard, our light bulbs are changing. They’ll be just as bright but use less energy, cost less, and better protect the environment. Starting in 2012, all screw-based light bulbs sold in the U.S. must meet new federal standards for energy efficiency…

By Lisa GarciaWhen I was six, my father announced that my family would be moving from the Bronx to Caracas, Venezuela. I was nervous and it didn’t help that my 2nd grade classmates told me our family would be living in grass huts. I thought that maybe Venezuela would be like Puerto Rico, where my…

By Kristinn VazquezI have a confession to make. I’m cheap. Most people wouldn’t guess that about me. I do like to spend money on others. But, I’m cheap when it comes to resources at home and at work. I would argue most of us who grew up poor can relate. We’re environmentalists because…

Each week we write about the science behind environmental protection. Previous Science Wednesdays.By Jing ZhangAs a kid, science class was always a treasure trove of exciting experiments and new activities. Science activities, from blowing up balloons to learn about air to displacing water to learn…

By Carly CarrollGoing into classrooms and sharing environmental has always been my favorite part of being an environmental educator. One of my favorite experiences was participating in EPA’s Science Day at an elementary school in North Carolina. The teachers and students were always so happy to…

Posted by USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center -- "Non-invasive" Cultivar? Buyer Beware (Oct 7, 2011) Cultivars of popular ornamental woody plants that are being sold in the U.S. as non-invasive are probably anything but, according to an analysis by botanical researchers…

Posted by USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center -- UF-led Study: Invasive Amphibians, Reptiles in Florida Outnumber World (Sep 15, 2011) Florida has the world's worst invasive amphibian and reptile problem, and a new 20-year study led by a University of Florida researcher…

Posted by USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center -- Location Matters: For Invasive Aquatic Species, It's Better to Start Upstream (Sep 26, 2011) Researchers have found that a species invasion that starts at the upstream edge of its range may have a major advantage over…